License-plate apparatus for automobiles



Feb 17, 1931- o. s. GROPPER LICENSE PLATE APPARATUS POR AUTOMOBILES Filed NOV. l5, 192'? INVENTOR M BY W AT TORNEYS Patented Feb. 1'17, 1931 GTT@ S. GROPPER, F 'WO0DSIDE, NEW YORK LICENSE-PLATE APPARATUS :Fon AUTOMOBILES Y. Application led November 15., 1927. Serial No. 233,369.

rlhis invention relates to signal devices for automobiles, and with respect to its more specific features, to a license plate adapted to be illuminated by transmit-ted light, as i Well as plainly`to be visible by vreflected light, the intent being to provide a license platlle structure visible in the day time or at 111g t.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a practical and ecient construction, utilizing glass or othery translucent material as a part of the license plate; by which the fragile material is protected; in which the parts are easy to assemble and license plates readily changed, the whole being inexpensive and strong and presenting a symmetrical appearance.

@ther objects of the invention will be in' part obvious and will in. part appear herein- 2 after.

The invention vaccordingly comprises the features of construction', combinations ofelements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims. f

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanyinfr drawings, in which lllig. 1 is a perspective view of a signal device embodying the invention.

kFig. 2 is a perspective view ofthe license plate, partly broken away, and with one elenient of the license plate in partly removed position.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the signal device, the license plate being removed to show the interior construction.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of Fig. 1 on the line A-B.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional horizontal detail of Fig. 1, at the point C.

Referring now more specificallyv to the drawing, a housing is provided consisting of a rectangular hollow frame. having the upper and lower frame members 1. 2. an

end member 3 in Xed relation to the inemwith from a single sheet of metal, the front bers 1 and 2, and an end member or door 4, hinged at 5 tothe member 2. The housing also includes a back plate 6 in one with h members 1, 2 and 3, as by being bent there'- face of the housing including the flanges 7, 8 and 9, forming three sides of a framing for the license plate. The door 4, which v also acts as a keeper to retain the license plate in operative position, forms one end of the housing and has a side Hange l() presented at the front of the housing, so that when the door is in closed position, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the flange 10 is continuous with the marginal flanges 7, 8 and 9 and completes the framing for the license plate. The inner edges of the flanges 7, 8 and 9 provide a front opening in the housing, and the license plate closes or covers this opening. Y I

The license plate, in the present embodiment, is composed of a thin metal plate, or member 11, having the apertures 12 in the shape of numerals, or other indicia. Back of this plate 11 and closely alongside it, is a translucent plate 13 which is adapted to slide in and out between the upper` and lower flanges 14 bentfrom the plate 11, the translucent plate being relatively closely gripped by the resilient thin metal flanges 14 so as to be removably retained in position relative to each other. The translucent plate 13 may be drawn out from between the flanges 14, and

' associated with another metal plate having diii'erent figures 12, as occasion demands. The metal plate 11 is preferably of a darkv color, as green, to form a contrast with the appearance of the figures 12 as the latter-are illuminated by the lamps in the interior of the housing. The translucent plate 13 may be of glass or other suitable translucent'material and will be colored, as for instance, red, so that the figures appearing through the apertures 12 will be in color contrast to the green color of the front of the metal plate 11.

Within the housing are the electric lamps 15, removablx` mounted on the base 2 of the housing and having electric conductors 16 leading to the outside of the housing through an aperture in the base 2, and to a suitable source of electricity, such as a battery (not shown). lVhen the door 4 is open the license plate may be inserted through the end opening 17 thus provided in thc housing. and when in operative position the license plate will cover the front opening in the. housing. and the flanges T, S and 9 will overlap the outside of the license plate. when the door is closed it will retain the license plate in display or signal position. and the flange 10 will also overlap the outside of the license plate at the end ofthe latter. the license plate being thus framed as it were` in the symmetrically rectangularl)` related flanges 7. 8. 9 and 10. The door et is provided with a keyactuated lock 18 for securing it in position retaining the license plate in the housing. By turning the key the bolt 19 may be thrust in and out and is adapted to cooperate with a keeper lug Q0 i on the interior of the housing".

Immediately in the rear of the overhanging flanges T. 8, 9 and 10 is an angular frame composed of the strips Q1, Q2. and 23, which co-act with the over-hanging' flanges mentioned to form a guide passageway for re ception of the margin of the license plate as it slides to and from display position in the housing. Preferably the strips Q1. Q2, and Q3, are made of pliable metal. as copper -having some slight resiliency, the construction being such that the license plate is gripped between the pliable metal strips and the flanges 7. 8. 9. and 10 and held firmly and prevented from vibrating. Also projecting from the inner face of the door is the hollow metal block or strip 25, which may contain the locking mechanism. The front face 26 of the hollow block 25 is spaced from the flange 10 of the door so as to form a slot, or channel 31, for reception of the adjacent end of the license plate. when the door is in closed position. The metal block Q5 also has a stiffcning effect ou the thin sheet metal door et, and may be made of copper.

As best seen in Fig. 5, the hollow block includes an inwardly disposed structural channel member having outwardly extending flanges. one of which forms the front face QG of the block. Said block also includes an outwardly disposed structural chalmel having inwardlyy extending flanges overlapping t-he flanges ofthe inner channel. One of these inwardly extending flanges is the external flange 1() mentioned above. This flange 10 is spaced from the outwardly extending flange 2G of the ilmer channel so as to provide the channel or groove 3l for receiving the adjacent end ofthe license plate.

To thel housing may be attached the hangers 2T,by which it maybe connected to the frame of the automobile.

It will be understood that when the current is on, the lamps 15 will illuminate the interior of the housing, and the light will he transmitted through the glass plate 13, and

the apertures 12 in the metal plate 11, so that the license plate will be clearly visible at night. Also the figures on the license plate will be clearly visible in the day time, by reason ot' the contrasting colors between the figures and the front face of the metal plate 11. lVhen the door 4, is closed and locked, the license plate and the lamps are securely held against removal. Upon unlocking the door it may be turned down on its hinge 5 and the license plate removed, whereupon the translucent and metal plates 11 and 13 may be separated and a new metal plate having other license numbers substituted. In order to increase the efficiency of illumination of the license plate, the rear inner face of the housing may be covered by a plate 30 of bright metal to serve as a reflector.

Thus by the above described construction are accomplished the objects hereinbet'ore referred to.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A signal for automobiles including, in combination, a housing having a front open'- ing, electric lamps in the interior of said housing, a license plate through which light is transmissible, movable into and out of position covering said opening, said license plate including a translucent member plate and an opaque apertured member plate having marginal flanges independently attaching it to said translucent member plate whereby said license plate is insertable and removable as a unit, one end of said housingr movable into and out of position for retaining said plate in opening coverin position and having a lock for securing it- 1n retaining position and a slot for reception of one end of said plate, said lock including a sliding bolt mounted on the inner surface of said movable end so as to be projected into locking engagement with the housing.

2. A vehicle trallic signal including, in combination, a housing having an opening in its front face with upper and lower flangesl forming margins adjacent the opening and having an end opening with a hinged door, a translucent license plate adapted to cover said front opening and insertable and removable through said end opening. an electric lamp within the housing for illuminating said translucent license plate, said housing having upper and lower channels adjacent said marginal flanges for receiving the opposite margins of said license plate when the latter is in position covering said front opening, said door having a block and a front flange spaced from one end of said block to form a channel in substantial alignment with said first mentioned channels for reception of the end of the license plate, said front flange. when the door is closed, forming a continuation of said marginal flanges of the front opening, and a locking bolt carried by said block and adapted to cooperate with the housing for locking said door in closed position.

3. A vehicle traiic signal including, in combination, a housing having an opening in its front face with upper and lower flanges forming margins adJacent the opening and having an end opening with a hinged door, a translucent license plate adapted to cover said front opening and insertable and removable through said end opening, an electric lamp within the housing for illuminating said translucent license plate, said housing having upper andlower channels adjacent said marginal Hanges for receiving the opposite margins of said license plate when the latter is in position covering said front opening, said door including an inner structural channel with outwardly extending ianges and an outer structural channel with inwardly extending iianges overlapping the first.

mentioned anges, the said anges at proximate ends of said structural channels being spaced. apart to provide an intermediate groove or channel aligned with the iirst mentioned license plate receiving channels and f adapted to receive the end of the license plate,

an outer iange of one of said structural channels forming, when thedoor is closed, a continuation of said marginal flanges of the front opening.

4. A signal forautomobiles including, in combination, a housing having an opening ing its front face with upper and lower marginal A flanges and an end opening having a hinged door, a license plate adapted to cover said `front opening'and insertible and removable through said end opening, said license plate composed of parallel metal and translucent member plates removably attached together,

said metal plate having apertures through which said translucent plate is fvisible, saidv member plates differing in color from each other, electric lamps for illuminating the interior of said housing, and pliable .metal strips coasting withl said face to provide up.- per and lower channels for reception of opposite margins of said licensel plate when-'I covering said front openlng, saidl door hav' ingA a channelpositioned in substantial align` ment with said irst mentioned channels so as to receive and support the adjacent end of said license plate when said hinged door is swung into closed position and to disengage and free said license plate end when the door is opened so as to free the plate to removal, said doorhaving a front iiange forming a continuation of said'marginal flanges ofthe front opening 'when the door is in closed position.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. OTTO S. GROPPER. 

